Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Death at Cochrane

WHY DAP HAS NO BUSINESS CALLING FOR AN RCI. The death this morning of Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, the senior Customs officer under investigation for corruption, came as a massive blow for Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission boss Abu Kassim, who was on the verge of busting one of the biggest bribery syndicates in Malaysia's history.

The 56-year assistant director from Port Klang Customs had fallen to his death from the third floor of the 5-storey building. He was among scores of Customs officers brought in for questioning on April Fool's Day to help the MACC with its investigation into a billion-ringgit Customs syndicate.

Ahmad Sarbani had been released after questioning on April 2. He returned to the MACC office at 8.26 this morning to meet the IO. Apparently, he wanted to discuss the statement he'd given to the IO earlier. He had to wait nearly two hours as the IO was in a meeting. When the IO came to the waiting room about 10.15am Ahmad Sarbani was not there. They found his body face down on the ground floor.

In the next few days the special task force set up by the Police to investigate Ahmad Sarbani's death will establish the facts of the case and answer some of our questions. Many of us who have been supportive of Abu Kassim and MACC's untiring efforts against corruption are asking, "Why lah", a question the Police won't be able to satisfactorily answer.

Why did the MACC officer(s) not keep an eye on Ahmad Sarbani?Why did they let the Customs man by himself in the waiting room?Why didn't they ensure that the windows were locked (especially after the Teoh Beng Hock's experience)?Why did they take things for granted?Why lah never learnt?

I join Malaysians in conveying condolences to the family of Ahmad Sarbani. I hope the members of the family bersabar and leave it to the police to investigate.Insyallah, the truth will prevail.

I also have a message for the DAP's sec-gen Lim Guan Eng: Please don't make use of this death for politics again. Enough is enough lah.

"Malaysians do not believe claims by some BN leaders that Teoh committed suicide."

"Instead they believe that Teoh was murdered."

"The failure of MACC to investigate corruption allegations against Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud shows a clear case of double-standards and systems failure in enforcing the law equally."

Apalah Guan Eng, semua mau dipolitikkan?

Guan Eng had the cheeks to also call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry be set up to investigate Ahmad Sarbani's death. I find his hypocrisy unbearable. They had demanded an RCI for TBH but when an RCI was set up, they pulled out of it.

I said it in my tweet and I'll say it here: DAP has no business demanding for a Royal Commission of Inquiry after the way they ditched Teoh Beng Hock's RCI.

I'm afraid it's not a new RCI that's SPRM should be concerned about. Rather, it's the present one (TBH).

I'm sure Justice Foong & co. gave them some benefit of the doubt (innocent until proven guilty) at the outset. But as the RCI wore on, what with all the sordid details spilling out, and now this... I think whatever benefit they had died together with the deceased Customs officer.

After all, the RCI commissioners are humans too & I bet they're damned pissed-off with SPRM

And rightly so too. After the TBH fuc#-up wasn't there an urgent & thorough review -- not just the SOP but also the infractructure ( windows? grills? anyone?) on how detention & interrogation was to be conducted?

If it was "tidak apa" and "business as usual" then depa saja cari bala & I'm sorry but the TOP DOG must go! No tears should be shed for that too.

I may agreed with Guan eng taht Malaysian does not belive taht TBH killed himself, and I would never belive that Allahyarham Ahmad Sabrani jump by himself.This incident are the repeting of the first that proof to be advantage to certain quaters who are under investigation,imegine if Ahmad Sabrani were lived to be found gulity the exposer that he would take along to prove him guilty.The same goes with TBH, but I think most Malaysian nowadays are not reasoning ,they just belive what others want them to belive or they just belive what they want to belive.

In a case of Ahmad Sabrani I would never belive that he jump by himself ,who are benifited from his dead ,that the question to be anserwed.

Why laa,every thing pun nak RC.It is as though that our enforcement authorities are rather toothless. The "bite's.." ain't killing,no venom or sting-less.!!

RC is always in need just to satisfy certain living soul's. When the outcome of certain matter's does not sway to their expected path. The cry for that and this or for some other fellas blood needed to be shed.

BTW can't blame them thou.They are politician( both side sama saja) after all.They would never miss to grap hold, to what ever opportunity on sight.For their political mileage..!

What are we Malaysian suppose to believe? We have the right to know and we have the freedom to express ourselves of what we believe. Most importantly, no matter how the politician politicize the issue, truth and justice must prevail. What do you expect the opposition leaders to do? Keep quiet about it? On the other hand, isn't BN leaders kept politicizing about the sex video?

"The failure of MACC to investigate corruption allegations against Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud shows a clear case of double-standards and systems failure in enforcing the law equally".

Whats wrong with this statement Dato'?

How come despite so many reports to MACC, still no news, no seizure of documents, no one detained for questioning etc?

Because of the Sarawak elections and BN muct win by all means, even if there were reports of corruption by the CM!

If this is not selective 'decision making' to give the CM an advantage and also the BN, you tell us what it is.

The quote above is just a repeat of what the folks in Sarawak are saying. Its just that your ears are deaf towards the despairs of the Sarawakians.

I am one of those silent majority. I for one is fed up with all these spinning by the hate mongers. I say stop all these nonsense before it goes out of hand. It is just a matter of time before the first blood will be spilled.

Agreed that tragedies should never be politicised.However the MACC has politicised many of these issues from the start (admittedly under previous Chief).TBH was pursued as part of a plan to go after the Opposition Govt in Selangor - whilst people like Taib in Sarawak act with immunity...

And you yourself has politicised this with your writings on the TBH case.

AnakPinang: Custodial deaths in PDRM and corruption do not qualify for RCI but a sex video does. Hurrah for the intellectuals which run this country. No wonder we are heading into the doldrums when we have goons as leaders.(Malaysiakini)

In oversea, when suspect kill himself at the anti-graft agency, people would said is suicide. However in Malaysia, when suspect / witness died of fell to his death at MACC building, people will say MACC is murderer. What the hell is this?

Damn right that DAP and TBH's family should reject and walk out of Najib's manipulated RCI.

Do remember that Najib was reluctant and had to be forced to include finding out the cause of TBH's death in the RCI's terms of reference. Yet another flip flop u-turn. Who want to just know if MACC procedures were adhered to when the whole world knows they weren't!

And no way should an "independent" RCI be headed by a sitting judge of the Fed court. Otw, it's apparent Najib, FLOM and the new 4th floor boys haven't a clue about what "justice must be seen to be done" really means.

More so since the findings and recommendations of 2 successive RCI's (IPCMC and Lingam/ Eueoffegate) have not been followed up by Najib and AG Ganesh Patel. This surely is a massive cover up for cronies and a slap in the face for our King!!

And don't suddenly spout that exceptions were made in UK RCI's without quoting which ones, when and under what circumstances. Anyway, since when did UMNO/BN have the slightest respect for UK legal procedures?

We don't want mere form over substance. We want the real McCoy.

And this latest death-of Ahmad Serban Mohamed- at a MACC office is symptomatic of a dangerous strain of cancer that has infected our investigative and enforcement agencies that must be rooted out lock, stock and barrel, pronto!

The opportunist Braggart LGE and his comrades in Pakatan Rakyat were silent when the MACC make a nationwide swoop of the Customs Department for graft and money laundering last week. They were silent as a church mouse, not even a word of credit to the MACC for their effort to combat corruption in the country. But suddenly, when they saw an opportunity to gain political mileage, they open their filthy big mouth. To them, even a death of a human being will be made into an issue as long as it bring that little extra mileage for their political survival. Pathetic isn't it?

Make up your minds la DAP goons. You want the Govt to fight corruption but when MACC acts you talk cock.You scream for RCI for Beng Hock, then you walk out. Without any concrete proof or basis, you insinuate MACC has something to do with the death of the custom officer.How do you know he didnt jump or was murdered by those in cahoots with him who didnt want him to spill the beans?It wont be long before we see Kit siang or eng Guan or Karpal holding the hands of the bereaved family crying for justice - making use of the family to gain popularity for DAP. Its already implanted in your little heads that anything the Govt do is wrong. Its so easy to blame others for every thing that goes wrong isnt it? Its so easy to run a country like that.

What has DAP, PKR AND PAS done for this country besides finding faults, complaining and tarnishing the country's name overseas? It looks like youre just good at making noise, inciting hatred, complaining.

Thats not good enough to govern a country.You dont have the experience or track record anyway.

If as now seems evident those facing prosecution feel so shamed by their own actions that they choose to end their lives, then the MACC can only henceforth with hindsight take steps to minimise such cases and also minimise invasion or abuse of it's private space by criminal elements who have interest in these cases.

MACC must be given a chance to learn from experience brought about by it increased role and activity and respond in due time.

What's so special of the MACC that it should have the foresight to see all the side effects? Isn't it human? Are we God to be able to foresee all these? Let's be clear about the boundaries.

Politicians in the Govt should be more adept at protecting MACC's civilian role.

How about a RCI on Deepak Jaikishan's RM600 million facility with Kuwait Finance House which he has now openly admitted ? How many "cash" cheques of RM 50,000 he issued from this facility, to whom, and for what. Boleh ke ? Cos we don't trust MACC to investigate anymore. We don't want Deepak to jump from the MACC office. We don't want flower pots to drop on the heads of witnesses.

Strange thing that many commented about LGE. Sometimes wonder whether they would spend one or two years in jail for defending a young girl. Talk is easy. Put yourself in his shoes. Agree?We are no longer very safe nowadays. Things just happened. Deep Condolence to the family.

people shouldn't make any comments or remarks that may tarnish or jeopardize any one's image...neither M-A-C-C or Allahyarham's family members.We shall wait for and leave the case to be investigated by the authority.All parties should also refrained from making any speculations.Setting up Royal Commission could be an idea but certainly it won't give any satisfaction to anyone but will be another reason for this issue to be politicized.

Why should LGE politicise this case as well as other cases where BN has failed so miserably in competence, management and accountability? I think most Malaysians know that LGE is the Sec-Gen of DAP and also Chief Minister of Penang - therefore it is his JOB to politicise issues that affect the well being of the rakyat!Secondly, LGE called for a RCI of international standards, not one that is stacked with BN apologists, like the current one investigating TBH. Why so takut of international standards? Still tempurung punya mentality ka?

I think that not only DAP but all law abiding citizens of Malaysia should wake up from thier slumber and demand that the MACC be accountable for all this deaths.A bloody disgrace for our beloved country.

how can the IO of a big case concerning billions of tax ringgit attend to a meeting when a witness decides to come and see him? doesn't he see the urgency? this is the problem with gov staff. this is not the first time i heard of this. internal meetings wt boss are more important than attending to rakyat.

ANON 11.56PM, Who stood up for the Malay underaged girl that was Raped by the Paedophile Rahim guy??NO one from UMNO or BN for that matter bothered to bat an eyelid about they poor girl plights, All the Malays pretended not to know and look the other way. The grandma of the poor girl had no choice but to seek this Chinaman LGE you loath so much, help he did even till the extend of him being send to jail instead of that Paedophile Rahim, so pray tell what the fcuk are you loathing about you moron ??

Rocky,I believe you are swimming against the current as far as the incident goes. As of this juncture, the best and the most sensible thing to do is for MACC chief to step aside (at least for a while) and let Police takes charge of corruption case investigation. Let a Royal Council become the interim chief for MACC to sort out their SOP before being handed over to a new chief. I believe it is best to get somebody outside MACC to lead them and win back public support.

Why the haste to whack DAP? Why politicise it when the deceased has yet to be buried? I wish we could have at least have some respect for the deceased.RCI or no RCI, I believe you Rocky, if you still have an iota of conscience, you and your newspaper should start digging for the truth, no?

"The failure of MACC to investigate corruption allegations against Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud shows a clear case of double-standards and systems failure in enforcing the law equally."

Hey this is downright fact not politicking. A three year old knows it. You are acting dumb.See this comment...Anonymous Anonymous said...

DAP this DAP that!

why worry about DAP?

worry about MACC?

chance that Paris Hilton is a virgin is higher than Taib being not corrupt.

The pm has instructed us to begin a propaganda offensive to deflect blame and spin this incident at MACC. I see some of you have already started. Good. What we need is coordination so we don't end up contradicting each other and changing statements mid river. You just saw last weeks what changing statements did to the Dato T's. We wasted lot of money on that failed project.

The big question is how do we spin a fall from 3rd floor to 1 floor, and the circumstances behind it as not foul play?

The TBH case involved the investigation in alleged corruption involving a few thousand dollars at most. But why is there no similar investigation or arrest for the hundreds of millions if not billions allegedly swindled by Taib amd his family?

In my opinion people are prone to jumping out/off of buildings because of many reasons. Guilt,shame,embarrasment depression, hopelessness and maybe madness.

Ask a sane,happy and contented man to take a flying leap and most likely you'll be given the finger.It doesn't make sense to me for the MACC to have any motives behind both suicides but for TBH and Ahmad to jump because of the situations they brought upon themselves and family I can believe it's suicide.

The MACC has my full support but their questioning/interview procedures needs major changing. The whole two hours of waiting may have caused Ahmad to go through various stages of stress and uncertainty and it only takes a few minutes for madness to set in and take over.My condolences to Ahmad's family and all the best to the MACC boss.

MACC are urged to continue with its task and challenge of bringing corrupt people and corrupt practices to the open. Do not feel detered or discouraged by the recent death incident.If anyone suspected of involving in corrupt practices feeling discomfort,gulity because of wrong doing and if he decides to take his life by himself through his own means at MACC premises, what can the MACC do?Why should a suspect be guarded? and against what possible perils?If a few more suspects decide on the similar cause of action, do we expect the MACC to close down.Everything is widely and wildly politicized.In Malaysia strangley,that the order of the day.People incline to run wild.

My theory is that Ahmad Sarbani was murdered. As Muslim, committing suicide means that he'll never go to heaven unless its jihad meaning suicide to protect Islam. Thus, I don't believe Sarbani committed suicide.Most likely he was threatened not to disclose any evidence detrimental to certain parties involved the on-going investigation conducted by MACC.We are told that the Customs Department and certain freight forwarding companies are being investigated for tax evasion amounting to billions.Who would want the on-going investigations to fail? Logically, the Customs officers and the freight forwarding companies being investigated. Between Customs officers and the freight forwarding companies who tend to lose a lot of money and their business affected, who would most likely to commit murder? My guess is the freight forwarding companies. They could engage hired killers to do the job. The hired killer could have followed Sarbani into the MACC building and when opportunity arises when Sarbani was alone, he was pushed down from the window. Thus, killing 2 birds with one stone. Eliminating a potential whistleblower and put the blame on MACC. Brilliant. isn't it? This could have also happened to Teoh Beng Hock. This is a common modus operandi of Mossad, the Israeli secret police.

Random visitor to your site. Read yours before quite some time ago. Looks like you would have said it very much differently before. Phew, how time and situation can change a person and his opinions. Rest my case. Good read haha. Dont forget, the readers read and make up their minds. So stay true to yrself always eryone.

It's funny how the man who's publicly asking the MACC Head to step down is the very same man who was publicly non-committal when someone under his charge abused and misused the later's power and position to deprive the common rakyat from eking out a living in Pulau Pinang where he is CM.

Abu Kassim is a civil servant who is bound by the General Order. He is no ordinary civil servant but Head of a very important enforcement body. Lim Guan Eng has to be blind or deliberately myopic not to be intelligent enough to do his homework about the KPI of Abu Kassim, and come up with a fair and clever statement.

I am an ordinary, apolitical Malaysian, and quite fair-minded in my observation of the country's political scene. DAP is better off as an opposition to provide check and balance in Parliament. At least then, its MPs looked and sounded more intelligent and worthy of respect.

A great political animal is one who is fair in judgement and discerning is wisdom. Lim Guan Eng is neither one nor the other.

MACC officers are just plain stupid.they shld realized by now they have too many enemies to cope with..they shld know they re all the time under the watchful eyes of these enemies.one careless move u're gone..